Timely tips for dealing with test anxiety

A hundred cartloads of anxiety will not pay an ounce of debt.-Italian proverb

Students across the country are in the throes of final exam preparation, test taking, and, soon, we hope, end-of-semester jubilation! We wish all of you, and in particular, those who are soon to be members of our profession, good health and good luck on the exams.

The Honors Program at the University of California at Riverside has put together these suggestions for getting through finals week, but the tips are useful for any type of test situation. Try putting these ideas to work for you and let us know how you fare! If you have any of your own favorite tips to add to this list, please add a comment at the bottom of this article.

Before the test:

Be prepared!

Learn your material thoroughly.

A program of exercise is said to sharpen the mind.

Get a good night's sleep the night before the exam.

Approach the exam with confidence: View the exam as an opportunity to show how much you've studied and to receive a reward for the studying you've done.